There’s no getting around the fact that a gaming laptop will cost you a little more than the average computer since it needs more power and memory to help games load quickly and run smoothly. But if you shop smart, you should be able to get what you want and come in on budget. To make things a little easier, we’ve put together a list of some of Walmart’s best gaming laptops of 2021—including the best budget gaming laptop—so you can quickly find the one that’s right for you.
What type of gaming laptop are you looking for?
Best Budget Gaming Laptop
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 512GB SSD | Display: Full HD (1920×1080) | Weight: 5.3 pounds
With a speedy AMD Ryzen processor and reliable Nvidia graphics, this budget notebook has everything you need to run all the latest games, from Call of Duty to Age of Empires. It won’t max out graphics potential in most games, but it also won’t break the bank.
| Pros | Cons |
| The fast, Full HD screen is a perfect match for this notebook’s processing power. | The GeForce GTX 1650 is an entry-level gaming graphics card but is sufficient for most games. |
| A speedy solid-state drive means you’ll be dropped into the action before you can finish the first swig of your favourite energy drink. | Just 8GB of memory may limit the smoothness and fidelity of some games. |
| Sleek design and colourful accents help this notebook stand out at game parties. |
Best Gaming Laptop for Students
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 512GB SSD | Display: Full HD (1920×1080) | Weight: 4.1 pounds
If you need an affordable portable gaming PC that can pull double duty as a school notebook, this light-but-powerful model from MSI fits the bill. It’s whisper-quiet while running productivity apps, then punches things up to power through graphically intense games.
| Pros | Cons |
| The Nvidia graphics and Intel Core i5 processor deliver excellent game performance. | The GPU power and memory are a little low for resource-ravenous games. |
| It’s surprisingly light for a gaming notebook, making it suitable for school commutes. | The laptop is undeniably svelte but lacks some of the extra design elements of more expensive laptops, like chiseled corners and extra lights. |
| Seven hours of battery life (when not gaming) will get you through a full day of schoolwork. |
Best Dual-Screen Gaming Laptop
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 1TB SSD | Display: Full HD (1920×1080) | Weight: 5.5 pounds
Made for gamers who want to flex, this Republic of Gamers (ROG) notebook from Asus has a second screen just above the keyboard where you can view vital game stats and info, which cleans up the main display and creates a more cinematic gaming experience. It’s an attention-getter, make no mistake.
| Pros | Cons |
| The dual-screen design isn’t just an advantage in gaming, but also for multitasking and productivity. | At 5.5 pounds, this notebook is on the heavier side. |
| The intelligent cooling system uses a thermal liquid metal compound to keep your rig from burning up in the heat of battle. | It’s pricey because you’re paying for that fancy second screen, 1TB of storage and a quality graphics card. |
| Its super speedy AMD processor, Nvidia GTX 3060 graphics and 16GB of memory are more than enough to slice through any game. |
Best Gaming Laptop for VR
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 512GB SSD | Display: Full HD (1920×1080) | Weight: 5.1 pounds
If virtual reality (VR) is key to your gaming considerations, it’s important to remember that not all laptops are VR-ready. This one is. It has more than enough horsepower and memory to cut through VR games like butter, plus ample ports to connect a VR headset and controllers.
| Pros | Cons |
| With four USB 3.2 ports (3 Type-A and 1 Type-C) plus an HDMI output, you’ll be able to connect all your VR gear. | A few users say the built-in speakers are quiet, but that the laptop works well with a headset or external speakers. |
| GeForce RTX 3060 graphics work in tandem with 16GB of RAM—ample power for any VR game. | When running at maximum speed, the fans may be a bit loud. |
| Its fast (144 Hz) Full HD display is a treat when not using your VR headset. |
Best Lightweight Gaming Laptop
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 1TB SSD | Display: QHD (2560×1440) | Weight: 4.2 pounds
Who says you can’t get form and function in a single package? This stunningly slim, lightweight gaming laptop is a marvel of industrial design and packs a powerful wallop to boot, thanks to a lightning-quick graphics card and loads of speedy memory. Sometimes you really can have it all.
| Pros | Cons |
| High-end Nvidia graphics combine with plenty of fast RAM to make mincemeat of most games. | It’s not wildly expensive, but it’s still beyond standard PC laptop pricing. |
| The bright and fast QHD screen with great pixel density makes a beautiful canvas for your favourite shooters and simulations. | Since it’s thin, it feels a bit delicate. You may want to purchase a hard case. |
| The spacious 1TB SSD will be appreciated by players who regularly switch between games. |
Best Gaming Laptop with a Big Screen
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 1TB SSD | Display: QHD (2560×1440) | Weight: 6 pounds
Perhaps the biggest drawback of gaming on a laptop is screen size. This ROG rig goes a long way towards remedying the problem, thanks to a capacious 17.3-inch display that serves as a stunning window into your favourite virtual worlds. It’s also great for content creation.
| Pros | Cons |
| This screen isn’t just big, it’s also high resolution and speedy, rendering games at up to 165 Hz. | A bigger screen means you’ll have to carry a whopping six pounds of laptop. |
| The GeForce RTX 3070 graphics controller is among the speediest currently available for laptops. | For such a big notebook, you’d think there’d be more than just one USB port. |
| Beautiful design features include a programmable multi-coloured LED lighting system. |
Best Gaming Laptop for Fast-Action Play
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 | RAM: 32GB | Storage: 1TB SSD | Display: QHD (2560×1440) | Weight: 6.4 pounds
As Samuel L. Jackson famously said in Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown, “Accept no substitutes.” When you need the best, it simply must be the GE76 Raider, an utter beast of a gaming laptop from MSI. Outfitted with the sort of components demanded by pro esports athletes, gaming notebooks don’t get much faster.
| Pros | Cons |
| Nvidia’s 3080 graphics controller has its own 16GB memory cache, which is in addition to the GE76 Raider’s enormous and superfast 32GB of RAM. | It’s the most expensive gaming laptop on our list, but it also has the best graphics card and 1TB of storage. |
| The expansive 17.3-inch screen is ridiculously quick, topping out at 300 Hz with just a 3ms response time. | At 6.4 pounds, it’s meant to live on your desk. |
| Separate cooling systems for the CPU and GPU make overheating during intense gaming sessions a thing of the past. |
Best Standard Laptop That's Also Great for Gaming
Graphics: Integrated (Intel Iris Xe Graphics) | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 512GB SSD | Display: Full HD (1920×1080) | Weight: 4 pounds
If spending an arm and a leg on a gaming notebook isn’t in the cards, consider this modestly powerful standard laptop from HP instead. It’s not ideal for greedier games like Call of Duty, but it should prove perfectly sufficient for more casual gaming experiences, from Minecraft to The Sims.
| Pros | Cons |
| A speedy solid-state drive and 8GB of memory help boost loading times and game performance. | Integrated graphics results in less-than-perfect rendering of sophisticated 3D visuals. |
| It has plenty of ports, including HDMI out, three USB Type-C inputs and even a Micro SD Card reader. | The keyboard doesn’t have backlit keys, so typing may be harder in dark rooms. |
| It’s considerably lighter than most serious gaming laptops. |
Get Everything You Need to Start Gaming
Your Questions, Answered
Why buy a gaming laptop instead of a standard laptop?
Gaming laptops offer much more than just futuristic designs and fancy lights. Unlike a regular laptop, which can typically handle only the most basic gaming duties, gaming laptops have the power to run and make the most of the latest and greatest games, from Assassin’s Creed to Cyberpunk 2077. They deliver a gaming experience that’s free of crashes and frame stutters while serving up gorgeous graphics on big and beautiful screens. Gaming laptops don’t just enable high-quality PC gaming, they make it a feast for the eyes.
What gaming laptop features should you consider?
Gaming laptop spec sheets can fluster even seasoned PC gamers. Keep your cool by focusing on a few key specifications:
- Graphics card: Look for a discrete, dedicated graphics card from Nvidia or AMD, then compare their model numbers. The higher the number, the more powerful the card.
- Display: Aim for a big, bright screen with a resolution of at least 1080p (1920×1080) and a high refresh rate (120 Hz is good, 144+ Hz is better).
- RAM: Laptops with lots of memory—16GB is a good goal—help keep games running smoothly even during scenes with overwhelming action.
- Storage: A laptop with a solid-state drive (SSD), as opposed to a standard hard disk, will likely be a little pricier, but provides lightning-quick loading times.
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How we choose products: Simply put, we don’t recommend any products we wouldn’t buy ourselves. Our writers leverage a number of sources as a starting point, including reputable third-party reviews, Walmart.ca user reviews, and Walmart Canada’s category specialists. theHUB editorial staff has final say for all products included in this guide.
Any product claims noted are provided by the manufacturer, unless otherwise stated.
Prices shown are subject to change. Please check Walmart.ca for the latest pricing.
This article is intended as general information. To be sure a product is right for you, always be sure to read and follow the label(s)/instruction(s) that accompany your product(s). Walmart will not be responsible for any injury or damage caused by this activity.
